NEW ORLEANS — A Tulane University football player was arrested Sunday morning for attacking a young woman in East Baton Rouge Parish. 

Police say Denisha Coleman, just 70 pounds and 5’1” tall, was punched in the face early Sunday morning by 185-pound Tyler Judson.

The pair were outside of a Waffle House in Zachary. One punch, a witness said, flipped Coleman face-first onto the pavement.

Coleman’s mother, Desiree Coleman, said the two did not know each other, and her daughter didn’t pick a fight. Still, she ended up hospitalized, in intensive care, with horrific injuries. Four days after the punch, both of her eyes are still swollen shut.

“She had multiple facial fractures. She has to have surgery, but it’s not clear what the surgery’s going to be until some of the swelling goes down,” said Desiree Coleman.

Desiree met her daughter at the hospital, where a nurse was able to bring her back to see Denisha.

“I said ‘Don’t worry baby.’ I said ‘Don’t worry about what I see. You’re going to be ok.’ I said, ‘But I just need to step out and talk to the nurse.’ But I needed to get out because it was that horrible,” the mother said.

Judson played in four games as a safety for Tulane University football. He was booked on battery charges two hours after the attack. 

Judson later posted bail and was released.

Tulane Athletics wrote in a statement, “As additional information has now become available concerning his arrest earlier this week, Tulane football student-athlete Tyler Judson has been dismissed from the football program after initially being suspended following his arrest. Tulane will continue to hold our student-athletes, coaches and staff to the highest of standards.”  

The Colemans want to see him prosecuted. Denisha has undergone CT scans and X-rays, and will likely need surgery for eye fractures and a broken nose.

It will also cost this high school senior her walk across the stage this Friday.

“I just know that my baby was an innocent person that didn’t deserve this,” said Desiree.

An investigation is ongoing.

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